Improved apparatus for supplying gas on steamboats and other vessels



N. ,TRE'ADWELL.

Apparatuefm Supplying Gas on Steelmboattsv and other Vesels. No. 58,321.

Patented Sept. 25, 1866.

N. PETERS. Pham-Lithograph". wmnmgwn. D. C.

,UNITED STATEs PATENT OFFICE.

N. TEEADWELL, oF NEW YORK, N. Y.

u. IMPRQVED APPARATUS FOR SUPPLYING GAS 0N STEAMBOATS AND OTHER VESSELS.

Speeication forming partot` Letters Patent N o. 58,321, dated September 25, 1866.`

To all whom fit'may coacmn:

Be it known that I, N. TREADWELL, of the city, county, and State of New York, have invented a new and Improved Gas Apparatus; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description thereof, which will enable others skilled in the art to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming part ot' this specification, in which- Figure l represents a sectional side eleva tion of this invention. Fig. 2 is a horizontal section of the same, the line m ./r, Fig. l, indieating the plane of section.

Similar letters of reference indicate like parts.

This invention relates to a new and improved method of filling dry diaphragm gas-holders and Vdistributing the gas throughout a boat.

Theinvention consists in pumping the gas directly into the holder` without the use of atmospheric air, and by a simple change of valves use the saine pump and the same pipe for forcing the gas to the burners throughoutthe boat in such a manner that the pump acts as a regulator as Well as a pump, and the possibility ot' the lights being put out by any motion or jar of the boat is prevented.

A represents a gas-holder, constructed of a large bag of india-rubber cloth or other suitable flexible material, and inolosed in a case 'of sheet metal, or any other rigid `material of sufficient strength to protect the gasholder from injury. Said gas -holder is intended to hold a sufci-ent supply of, gas to light all the burners on a steamboat or vessel, and it is put iu any convenient place on said boat, and su pplied with gas through a pipe, C, which can be connected with a iieXible pipe, D, leading to the street-mains, or to a suitable gas-holder on shore, when the boat is at the Wharf.

From the pipe C extend two branch pipes, E F, one of which connects with the pipe G, leading to the burner or burners H, while the other connects with the pipe l, to which the ile'Xible p'ipe D is attached. rljhe pipes I and G connect with the circular gas-channel g of the pump J, which is .composed of three, more or less, compartments, which alternately receive a supply of gas through the pipe. I and discharge it through the pipe G, said compartments being provided with flexible diaphragms, to which a reciprocating motion is imparted by the action of a Weight, K.

The construction of the pump, however, is i Well-known, and requires no further explanation here; neither does it form a portion otl my invention; but I reserve the right to use in place of the pump herein shown any pump which will produce the desired effect.

The connection between the pipes C, D, E, F, G, and I and the. burners H is regulated by stop-cocks a b c d. In charging the holder A with gas, the cocks b and e are opened and the cocks a and d are closed. The gas, passing through the pump J, alternately ills the several compartments ot the same, the diaphragm of said pump being set in motion by the weight K, so that by their action the 110W of the gas to the holder is facilitated, and in doing so a revolving motion is imparted to the central shaft, e, and through it to the registering-wheels, and the quantity of gas passing in to the holder A is indicated.

l/Vhen the holder is full the cocks b and o are closed andthe cocks a and d are opened. The diaphragms of the pump J are now set in motion by the action of the weight K, and the gas is alternately drawn in through the pipes G and F, and then discharged through the pipe G to the burners.

By this method ot' connecting the gas-holder with thepump and with the burners the ioW of the gas to the burners is renderedentirely independent of the motions or jars of the boat,

the supply of gas to the burners being regulated entirely by the motion ofthe diaphragms, or, in other words, by the Weight K. The size of this weight ot' course depends upon the size of the apparatus; but under all circumstances a steady current of gas is obtained, and the flames burn without iliokerinig; and, furthermore, all` danger of' having the llames extinguished by'a sudden jar of the boat is avoided.

What I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

The stop-cocks or valves a b c d, in courbination with the gas-supply pipe D, pump J, discharge-pipe G, pipe C, and gas -holder A, all constructed and operating substantially as and for the purpose described.

Witnesses: N. TREADWELL.

WM. F. MONAT/LARA, ALEX. F. ROBERTS. 

